Vegetable cutter



May 22, 1945. J. P. WHANN VEGETABL7E CUTTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 6, 1941' May 22, 1 945. I J. P. WHANN VEGETABLE CUTTER Filed March 6, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet'B Patented May 22, 1945 JesseT -Whann,Los AligeieiEfialif E l ApplicationMarch s, 1941,,s i ia najssapie e e V e =1 1Claims. (orgies-17m t @My invention relatestoa: simple form cf-tdevice I Jfor. cutting vegetables into strips for example, cuttingupotatoes into stripsfor Frenchfries- .v iii-711$ anuobject: oflthe invention to provide a mutter of this tcharacterwhicnmay1 be readily formed iromsa single sheet or metal and which be yrelatively easy of onerationcby reason of the manneruin whichthecuttin edges areifolimed and positioned; i 1 i ;It is an object of the linventionhto provide a .:.cutter whiehwill cut a plurality of strips at one stime or with asingle movement of the cutter "relative, to the vegetable wherein the force to ,accomplish the :cutting action is minimized by reasonsof: the,- placement of the cutting edges so that the strips are notlaterally compressed as ,hoccurs where the strips must pass between a pair .oflspaced substantially parallel eutting 'edges; or

.blades. l i

v Alfurther object is togprovide a cutter of the character described formed from a sheet having slots placed in. overlapping onstaggered relation so iasto form, cutting blade portions between the vslots, which cuttingblade portions are moved into perpendicular (position relative to l the "remaining portion of the sheet of metal by bending. the sheet at the extremities lot the slots upwardly and downwardly along prescribed lines. Ihxone form of construction described; the cutting blades are so disposed thatno two -of them lie in iaceito face relation and inanotherform the cutting-blade 'portionsarein suchnomparalle'l relation that clearance for the outstrips is 'provided.

An object 0f the invention -is to provide a cutter u for" cutting strips having a plurality of cutting the vegetable is forced through openings formed .by the cutting blades, which openings are of smaller cross sectional area than the strips cut by the blade. v a

a furtherobject of'the invention isto provide a simple form of strip cutter of the character hereinbefore set forth, which may be readily. incorporated in the handle of allsitchen tool, such has apeeler.

1 :rFu r i t n as e e l 43 a a a a,

which th strip cutter i's,formed, showin the 40 right han Di l, n tfie ex iat the: raw n s Wlfishar f r i l tlt a i ami seszq w 1 i n is, el qr rmyli v nfii w s issi m-Eig 2 isjan enlarged ,perspective view of [the dev ce h wn-am ne tu ne rev r ea ts s aw s r utms l me it it to t l a face view of a: sheet? oft-metal Ifrom the .sheetprion to the pending oflthe AQotlF igLtZ Q e v 5 v g I Eiga 5 is a perspective-- vievvl of an alternative form: Qt my invention y which thel'strlpsl out are ,givenhexagonallform."I

a Fig, is a perspective vieiv of a adapted Rig? is a. sehematic sectional viewxishowmg ltheiinannerlin whieh thecutter shown" in Fig. 5

eutsp li e trips-1 ma vegetabl. v 5 {Fig.is'a perspectiveviewlshovvingfaform of myieutterf in a I holder whereby it may be em- .jiloyedjfto cutlarger quantities L of potatoes.

Figa9isl ;a. perspective view showingthe bottom face of the 'pu'sher 'jlock shown inFig, "B; k

e perspectivey ewushuwmgvanbnher form. .o myxm entionwherem the cuttlnglbladefs, from 1 a single sheet, lie in non-parallel terine,

right is sperspectivev ew-sawingasha- "ove enttorme article to be out'relative 'toithe l v p al ei 'ln mbe ri Winh rmea. gInIFig I" showastrip cutter lqj'heldjin'the Fig-.2 I show the strip cutterilttturned over froin 5 'the'jiposition' in w c Jitflis shown" in- Fig. :1, to

i emtht r1 si 'm dfb een li d i -lfi si s to sit I he ca e -1 Fig, .1 is .,a perspective view showing a" nh el i e h? "s e q sh w 19haplate orsheetimaybeformed with successive strip cutting elementsisothal by one identified patent.

it is shown in Fig. 2, it may be employed to peel a vegetable in the manner disclosed in the above Then, after the potato is peeled, the device I may be inverted and drawn across the peeled potato so as to rapidly cut the same into strips for French frying.

In Fig. 3 I show a fiat thin metal plate 2| having a plurality of-slits 22 cut therein in spaced relation but staggered progressively from left to right and rearwardly so that the leftward end of the second slit will overlap the rightward end of the first slit, and the leftward end of the third slit will overlap the rightward end of the second slit, etc. Near the leftward end of the sheet 2| a dotted nne 23 defines a strip 24 which is to be bent downward into a vertical plane relative to the rear section 25 of the sheet 2|. From the leftward end of the second slit 22 and from the leftward end of each succeeding slit 22, a dotted line 26 is extended forward to the intermediate portion of the preceding slit, and from the rightward ends of the first to the seventh slits 22 dotted lines 21 are extended rearward. Between each dotted line 26 and the dotted line 21 adjacent thereto there is a rectangular area of metalwhich may be referred to as a cutting'blade portion 28. In the formation of the cutter element- |4,'each blade portion 28 is bent downward alon a line 26 relative to the rear section 25 of the sheet 2|, and is bent upward along a line 2'! relative to the front section 29 of the sheet 2|. At the same time, the area 30 of the rear section 25 will be bent downward along the dotted line 3|,

and the area 32 of the front section 29 will be and the front section 29 0f the sheet 2| will lie in a horizontal plane faced below the horizontal plane defined by therear section 25, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. From 2, it willbe noted that although the cutting blade portions 28 lie in parallel vertical plane, these cutting blade portions 28 are not in face to face relation, but each succeeding cutting blade portion 28is offset rearward from each preceding cutting blade portion 28. Each of these portions 28 has a cutting edge l6 at its forward edge along the front edge of the rear section 25 the cooperating horizontal cutting edges l are formed. As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the cooperating cutting edges l5 and I6 define above the plane of the front section 29 a quadrilateral opening 31. Whether these openings 31 are square or rhomboidal, will depend upon whether the blade portions 28 are bent into vertical or sloping planes.

In describing the operation of the strip cutter,

let it be assumed that the article to be cut, for example, a potato, is placedon the upper surface of the section 29 and the cross brace 38,ahead of the cutting edges l5 and I6, and is then moved rearward so as to engage and then pass beyond the cutting edges, each pair of cooperating edges [5 and l 6 will cut a'strip from the lower portion of the potato, and as each strip iscut', itmay bend leftward and downward, since-there is nometal wall belowthe forward portion of "the upper sec-- tion 25, and 'there'are no metal walls lying oppo-' 6 between parallel or faced walls so that the strips fare laterally compressed. As shown ,in Fig. 1,

' the potato may be cut in half, and the half may be placed upon a fiat surface such as a board, as

indicated in I2 in Fig. 1. Then the device ID, in aposition inverted from that in which it is shown in Fig. 2 may be drawn lengthwise across the upper surface of the potato from front to rear. At each cutting stroke thereof a plurality of strips 39 will be cut from the upper portion of the potato. I find that it is possible to cut the potato in strips right down to the surface of the board onwhichitis placed, for the reason that even though the potato may be quite thin, the

cutter may be started from the front endand drawn to an intermediate position, while the left hand is holding the rear end of the potato, and then the left hand may be transferred to the front end of the potato to hold the same while the stroke of the device I6 is completed.

In Fig. 8 Ishow a cutter M, of the type disclosed in Figs. 1 to 4, mounted at the rear'end of a channel 40 comprising a bottom wall 4| and side walls 42 having toes or hooks 43 at the front ends thereof which may be hooked over the edge of a table or other object. A pusher block slides along the channel49. The article to 'be cut into strips may-be placed on the bottom wall 4| of the channel 49 between the pusherblock 44 and the cutter I4, and then by rearward movement of the pusher book, the article may be forced into engagement and then pastthe cutter I4. At eachstroke of the article inrearward direction, a plurality of strips will be cut from the lower'portion thereof, the number of strokes required to reduce the article to strips depending upon the vertical height of the openings 31 of the cutter as compared to the vertical thickness of the article. which is to be, cut into ,strips.

In Fig. 9 I show how the lower portion; of the block, 44, which extends down into the channel between the side walls- 42 may ;be cut off at an angle as shown in 46, corresponding to the angular line" defined by the vertical edges |6 of the cutter 4, so that the forward portion 41 of.

the upper part of the block 44 may pass beyond the cutting edgesof the cutter. l4,

In Fig. 5 Is'how an alternativeform of my invention wherein ametal sheet 59' has transverse slits 5| cut: therein, after which, 'o'rin conjunction with which, longitudinal portions or; the sheet 59 ahead of the slits are bent .or displaced downward so as to form a channel, and longitudinal portions of the sheet 50 lying "tothe channels 52, and preferably the cross sectional' -areas: ofrthemidgesi 531' should eachi constitutethe upper half of an approximately .xpoly onal area,

such as the upperhalf of a hexagon, as shown in F'ig'. "5, and the cross sectional area of each channel 52 should: be complementary to' the cross sectional area of the ridge53. lying therebehind. For examplainFig. 5 I have shown eaoh channel 52 as having a cross'sectionalarea constitutingthe lower half of a-hexagon, with theresuit thatwhen the cutter shown in Fig. 5 is viewed from the front end thereof, the; walls of the channel 52 and-of the ridges 53 will'define hexagonal openings 6 I. Between the channels. 52 therear'e horizontal wallsfi! which extend'into 'and form the bottoms of the grooveslil). Each of these horizontal walls ez -preferablyihas awi'dth equal" to the width of the walls 54 and 513; Edge 'portions'83- of the "sheet 50* maybebent downward to provide vertical walls torest upon table surface; and toes-64 to engage an end' wall whereby I rality of rear openings 11. Abovethe planeof the niovernent of the strip cutter will be resisted.

Whenthe article to be cut, for example, a potatoj is first applied to the cutter, itslower face wilhengagethe wallsf62 ahead ,of the cutting edges 58 and 59. Then, when the potato is moved rearward, the cutting edges'58 and 59 will cut strips therein,each strip having a cross section approximating a half of a hexagon. Between 'the'grooves cut by the cutting edges 58 and59 there willbe a plurality of ribssuch as shown at 55*5fin Fig.7. Whenthe potato is moved back onto the front endof the" cutter, these ribs 65 will drop into the channels 52 and as thepotato 56, Fig.7, ismovedrearward, the channels 52 .will' guide the ridges 55' to the hexagonalopenings'Bl defined bythe cutting edgesf58 and 59,

with the result that the ridges" 55.;and adjacent portions of the potato 56 will be removed,v and the stripsfthus out from the potatoiifi will be hexagonal. in area. Each cutting stroke of the potato 55] will leave on the lower face thereof ridges 65 which will'be engaged withthe channels 52 prior to and during the next cutting stroke. InFig. 6 I show a pusher 6'! adaptedto'slide on .the front, portion of the cutterv shown in Fig; 5,

to push the potato through its cutting stroke. This ,pusher 61 has flanges I 68 to project downward outside the side walls T53of the cutter to serveasrguides, and the pusher may beiprovide'd with...shoulders 69 for manual engagement.

;As-;shown Fig. 11,. the cutter is especially adapted-,- for use as a quick cutting shredder. In FigQll. Ishow a plate 5ll, .simi1ar to the .plate50 .ofEigt, .bentor formed so as to provide apl'uralityxof channels 52' leading to openings at the front end of the ridges 532. At the rear. ends of the grooves 6!), formed between the. ridges 53?,

a succeeding. set1of .ridges 10, of the same character as the ridges 53 shown in Fig. 5, may be formed, ad infinitum. It will be understood that the sizes of the channels 52 and ribs 53 and it may be varied in accordance with the size of the strips to be cut, and that they may be made very small in size to outline thin shreds of polygonal cross sections. The vegetable to be shredded will be placed on the front portion of the cutter shown" in Fig. 11 and will then be moved rearward. As it passes the front end of the ridges 53 strips will be cut therefrom and ridges left by the cutting of these strips will be guided by the grooves 50' into engagement with the cutting edges formed at the front ends of the ridges Ill. Afeature of this cutter is that the channels or grooves between the ridges definitely guide the article which is being shredded so that there is no sidefront portion 13 of the sheet" the from; openings 16 are defined by horizontal cutting "edges H! and downwardly diverging cutting edges I 8, and

therearopening ll havetheir upper limits defined by horizontal cutting. edges 19.- When a potatogcr other artlclais moved'across the surface of the front portion 1 3 the direction of the arrow the cutting edges :11 i and 1-8 will cut strips therefrom, which strips: may deflect dowrm described, the-combination of a front plate portion anda rear plate portion lying in spaced planes, with the frontedge of said rear plate portion spaced rearward from the fro'ntedgeof said front plate portion; anda plurality of cute ting-membersextending diagonally from the forward'pa-rt of said rear plate p'ortion to saidf'ront plateportion so asto form keystone shaped openings between the said forwardpart ofsai'd rear plate portion and said'front plateportion.

2. strip cutting'device of the "character described", comprising a sheet or relatively thin metal formed so as to provide front and rear plate portions lying in vertically spacedsubstanmoved relatively thereto.

3. A strip cutting device of-tiie character described, comprising a sheet of relatively thin metal formed so as to provide front and rear plate portions lying in vertically spaced substantially parallel planes with the front edge of said rear plate portion adjacent and spaced upwardly from the rear edge of said front plate portion,.

and a plurality of webs extending from the front edgevof said rear plate portion to the rear edge of said front plate portion, said webs being integral with said plate portions and the forward edges of said webs and of said rear plate portion constituting cutting edges to cut strips from an article moved relatively thereto, and each of said webs being offset from face to face relation to the webs adjacent thereto. 5

4. A strip cutting device of the character described comprising a sheet of relatively thin metal formed so as to provide front and rear plate portions lying in spaced substantially parallel planes with the front edge of said rear plate portion contiguous-to the rear edge of said front plate portion and spaced therefrom, and a plurality of webs extending from the front edge of said rear plate portion to the rear edge of said front plate portion, said webs being integral with said plate portions and the forward edges of said webs and of said rear plate portion constituting cutting edges to cut strips from an article moved relatively thereto, said webs extending from said rear plate portion to said front plate portion so as to form keystone shaped openings.

7 5. A strip cutting device of the character described, comprising a single sheet of metal formed so as to provide a topwith sides extending down from the edges of said top to engage a support, said top being formed so as to form a plurality of cutting edges arranged to cut strips from an article moved lengthwise along the upper face of said top, there being downwardly projecting hooks at the forward ends of said sides to engage a shoulder of said support, and thereby prevent forward movement of the device relatively to said support; and a block slidable along said top to force said article through a cutting operation.

6. In a strip cutting device of the character described, the combination of: a front plate portion and a rear plate portion lying in spaced planes, with the front edge of said rear plate portion spaced rearward from the front edge of said frontplate portion; a plurality of cutting membersextending from the forward part of said rear plate portion toward said front plate portion, the forward part of said rear plate portion having thereon forwardly presented cutting edges; walls extending down from the sides of said plate portions to provide rests to engage a support; and a block slidable along said front plate portion so as to force an article through a strip cutting operation.

7. A strip cutting device of V the character described,- the combination of: a sheet of metal formed so as to provide a front portion and a rear ortion, the rear portion having wall means raised with relation to said front portion so as to lie in a plane spaced from but substantially parallel to the plane of said front portion,'said metal sheet being shaped so as to form cutting edges at the front end of said rear portion to cut strips from an article moved relative to the upper face of said metal sheet and to define openings through which said strips may pass; and walls extending down from the edges of said sheet to engage a support, there being means for engagement with said support to prevent movement of said device during a cutting operation. a

' 8. A blank from which to form a strip cutter of the character described, comprising a sheet of relatively thin material having a plurality of slots arranged along a diagonal line from one side of the sheet to the other so that the ends of said slots will lie in spaced relation to define webs which may be bent into angular relation to the remainder of the sheet.

' 9. A strip cutting device of the character described, comprising: a sheet formed so as to provide a front plate portion and a rear plate portion, the rear plate portion having its front edge adjacent to and spaced upwardly from the rear edge of said front plate portion, said front and rear edges of said plate portions having complementary steps formed therealong, each of which steps comprises a lateral edge and a longitudinal edge, and said sheet being so further formed as to provide strips extending downward from the longitudinal edges of the steps of said rear plate portion to the longitudinal edges of the steps of the front plate portion, whereby a plurality of adjacent openings will be defined by said strips between said front and rear edges of said plate portions,

10. A strip cutting device of the character de scribed, comprising: a sheet formed so as to provide a front plate portion and a rear plate portion, the rear plate portion having its front edge adjacent to and spaced upwardly from the rear edge of said front plate portion, said front and rear edges of said plate portions being disposeed diagonally with respect to the line of movement of an article which is to be cut into strips and having complementary steps formed therealong, each of which steps comprises a lateral edge and a longitudinal edge, and said sheet being so furtherformed as to provide strips extending downward from the longitudinal edges of the steps of said rear plate portion to the longitudinal edges of the steps of the front plate portion, whereby a plurality of adjacent openings will be defined by said strips between said front and rear edges of said plate portions.

11. A strip cutting device of the character described, comprising: a front plate and a rear plate, therear plate having its front edge adjacent to and spaced upwardly from the rear edge of said front plate, said front edge of said rear plate having complementary steps formed therealong, each of which steps comprises a lateral edge and a longitudinal edge, and knifeforming strips extending from the longitudinal edges of the steps of said rear plate to said front plate, whereby a plurality of adjacent openings are defined by said front and rear plates and said strips along a line diagonal with respect to 

